Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy more likely to break laws

By Staff Writer

A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reveals that mothers who smoke during pregnancy may increase the chances of their kids becoming criminals, according to Time magazine.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that adults whose mothers were heavy smokers - more than 20 cigarettes per day - during pregnancy were 30 percent more likely to have been arrested than those whose mothers were light or nonsmokers. Health officials used data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project, which asked more than 3,700 expecting mothers about their smoking habits between 1959 and 1966.

All of the children of these mothers had reached adulthood by 2000. Researchers recently checked the criminal records of the offspring and compared the results to their mothers' smoking habits.

Angela Paradis, the study's lead author, said that researchers cannot definitely conclude that maternal smoking during pregnancy contributes to criminal behavior among their children, but she said the latest findings support a modest link.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, children who use tobacco are more likely than nonsmokers to experience various behavioral problems by grade 12.